It's been a nice chunk of time since my last review, so I'm going to jump right in here.

I went into Deliri(Also seen at brownbooksarah.blogspot.com)

It's been a nice chunk of time since my last review, so I'm going to jump right in here.

I went into Delirium with a pretty foggy idea of what the book was actually about. All I knew for certain was that it had something to do with a society devoid of love--That's all. So you could imagine why I was hesitant to invest time in it; it seemed like it would be the ultimate sap-fest.

I can say with certainty now that I can no longer trust my book intuition.

Delirium was not, in any way shape or form, just a sap-fest. Rather, it's a glorious exploration of what the world would be like if love were to be prohibited, and how one girl manages to discover its power before she, too, succumbs to the lackluster life that those around her place on such a high pedestal. I won't deny the corniness seeping from that statement, but I won't erase it either. Oliver presents it so masterfully that the concept doesn't branch off into corn-city, but still manages to instill the message of the story deep within you. It's quite beautiful, actually.

One of the things that really sold Delirium for me were the tidbits of propaganda and text excerpts--taken from various documents and children's rhymes circulated around the society of Delirium -- given at the beginning of each chapter. These little wonderful additions pulled me into the society, and helped me to see how such a seemingly absurd walk of life could be... plausible. Practical, even, in the eyes of people that have never, and could never, experience the joys of love. It makes the whole mass-brain-washing more believable, and worse, forces you to see the power of using fear as a way to persuade and control people.

Anyway, onto less deep subjects.

Oliver does a great job with the characters, especially in showing how the structure of society has molded a lot of who they are. Lena, the main character, was nothing special. That said, she was still a pretty solid character, and all of her actions and thoughts made sense to me-- I never felt like slamming my face into a wall, so bonus points there. The characters I found myself most attached to, though, were Hana and Alex. Hana's the best friend anyone would want; the kind that teases you mercilessly, but at the end of the day, will always have your back. Alex is just... well, Alex. I found that I, too, had fallen in love with him by the end of the book. Granted, that happens to me a lot when it comes to love interests, but that doesn't take away from his special little charm.

Now, any review of Delirium is not complete unless the marvelous writing of Lauren Oliver is given special mention. Her words project vibrant images within your mind, pulsing and expanding as though they're living entities. It's easy to get lost in her vivid descriptions, all of them appealing to each of the senses as though crafted to place you directly into Delirium's society.

Okay, I think I've driven my point home.

If I haven't succeeded in convincing you to read Delirium, allow the other countless raving reviews scattered across the internet to finish the job. It's definitely a lovely 441 page ride, one that will fly by and leave you spinning in a whirlpool of emotions with its wake. ...more

Alright, I'm a little late in the game here. Hush, Hush was first released 3 years ago, which, in young adult novel time, equates to 3 decades. Even Alright, I'm a little late in the game here. Hush, Hush was first released 3 years ago, which, in young adult novel time, equates to 3 decades. Even still, it seems to pop up at every corner, which is what led me to pursue reading it. It felt like everyone and their mother (literally) had read this book, and I was tired of feeling left out of the Hush, Hush conversation.

Such is why I am writing this review now, 3 years overdue.

So, I'm just going to put this on the table right away: I did not expect to like this book. In fact, I pictured myself tossing it across the room, tearing out pages and setting the binding on fire. I don't know what it is about the premise, but for some reason all I could think about before reading it were the numerous reviews that attacked Patch's character, calling his relationship with Nora everything from boring to psychotic. The only way I could bring myself to read the book was to make a compromise: I would check it out from the school library.

Imagine my surprise when, about five chapters in, I have to evaluate the situation. Not only was I reading Hush, Hush: I was enjoying it. I'd even venture to say that I had trouble putting it down. The review I'm about to give came out of a couple days of allowing my opinions to sink in, as I my brain had trouble accepting all of the things I likes about it.

One of the highlights of the book, in my opinion, was the writing. This is actually what I worried most about going in, even more so then the supposed crazy romance. Fitzpatrick has an enchanting ability to describe, in lovely detail, what's happening in the book. Even now, my brain can easily conjure up images of characters and situations. She also succeeds at interweaving Nora's thoughts into the narration so it doesn't feel like a play-by-play.

As for the characters, the only ones I found myself growing attached to were Nora and Patch. Vee's character could easily have been among my favorites, but something about her really turned me off. I'm hoping that I'll grow to like her more as the series progresses, because she still shows a lot of potential. On a different note, though I feel the readers should've been given more time to get to know them, Elliot and Jules were pretty solid characters. I hated them, but in the good way. Kind of like the way you have a love-hate relationship with your favorite movie villain.

Patch was a different story. Despite the creep factor that he definitely exudes during the first part of the book, I found myself slowly beginning to like him for his candor. If he felt like saying something to get under Nora's skin, he would. It's as simple as that. I know their are a lot of romantic interests out there that have the same mentality, but that doesn't take away from the glory it gives Patch. I even laughed out loud a couple of times at some of the remarks he makes.

The protagonist, Nora, was nothing special in my opinion. Was she pleasant to share eyes with? Sure. Did she leave a lasting impact? No. Of course, this isn't a terribly bad thing. I guess it's just one of the reasons I still only give Hush, Hush a 3.25 rating. Again, I'm hoping that once I break into Crescendo I'll grow to appreciate her more.

Now, bear in mind, I haven't read many fallen angel books. I'm not sure I've read any, for that matter. I'll say, though, that the back-story behind the fallen angels in Hush, Hush really had my attention. I won't blow any of it, but I'll say that I thought it was pretty well thought out and delivered. I'm also interested to hear more about Patch's life as an angel.

I'll end this review with a final statement: if you're looking for a decent, quick read to pass the time, Hush, Hush is definitely something you can consider. As someone that didn't have I hopes, I am happy to say that I'm sure to read the other installments as soon as possible.

The fact that I'm doing a review for this book right now still amazes me. I went on a giveaway-entering frenzy and was fortunate enough to win one ofThe fact that I'm doing a review for this book right now still amazes me. I went on a giveaway-entering frenzy and was fortunate enough to win one of the books I wanted to read most: Pushing the Limits.

Needless to say, when I got the email asking for my name and address, I nearly flipped my laptop into oblivion out of sheer joy. It is for this reason that I will do my best to give it the fairest review possible. I've been working through a cold for the past few days, so bear with me if I make some wonky comments.

I'll start by saying that the synopsis, in my opinion, is slightly misleading. I was under the impression that a lot of the book dealt with a hidden romance between a broken girl and a bad boy. The romance, though, seemed to be far from hidden. Yes, there were some conflicts that made it difficult for them to be together, but I never got that "forbidden love" vibe. That said, this is by no means a negative thing. In fact, if the romance had been what I had been expecting, the story may have branched off in a whole bunch of cheesy directions.

While I'm on the topic of romance, I'd like to convey just how much I loved the relationship between Echo and Noah. McGarry does a splendid job at showing, through dialogue, how the two of them bring out the best in each other. Many of the comments they shoot back and forth had me laughing out loud, reeling at how perfect they are for each other. I don't normally start a review talking about the romance, but considering it was one of the best, most authentic parts of the novel, I feel it is necessary to make an exception here.

Moving on.

If you didn't already know, the book alternates between the perspectives of Echo and Noah every chapter. I didn't know this ahead of time, and quite honestly, it kind of worried me at first. I've never been a huge fan of point of view switches, but both Echo and Noah were such real, likable people it didn't bother me in the slightest. In fact, some of my favorite moments were told through Noah's perspective.

As for secondary characters, there were only a few that I built a strong connection to. Mrs. Collins quickly became one of my favorite characters. Whether it was her sunny demeanor or her reckless driving habits, McGarry made sure that this woman made an impact on me. She has this way of saying so much out of so little, something that is hard to find in a book. Add the fact that you could see how much she cared for Noah and Echo and BOOM: outstanding character. Other people in Echo's life, however, irked me to no end. Grace, old friend of Echo and now most popular girl in school, managed to upset me any time she was mentioned. I understand in a "I-guess-I-get-why-you're-acting-like-such-a-biscuit" way, but at the same time I felt that she just needed to grow up. Personally, I've never met someone so dead set on being popular, so maybe that's why this bothered me so much.

Other characters, some only mentioned once or twice, really helped to make the story that much more believable. Some authors forget that there are always additional people in a character's life that mean little in the grand scheme of things. It's all about immersing your reader into a story, and simulating as many aspects of real life as possible can really help to accomplish this.

On a different side of things, the language and description that McGarry implements is quite lovely. Her words mesh perfectly together to produce a vivid image in your mind. You could see Echo pulling down her sleeves perfectly, and eventually your mind put pieces like this into your mental image automatically. You're placed entirely into the world of Echo and Noah, almost as if you are a part of their universe.

If I had to pick my favorite aspect of the book, though, I'd have to mention the book's ability to evoke some serious emotion-age within you. Pushing the Limits had me laughing, crying, and biting my nails-- sometimes two of these things at the same time. The characters knock loudly at the door to your heart until you are forced to let them in. It's a wonderful thing to see.

If you haven't yet read Pushing the Limits, do yourself a solid and order it whichever way you can. I was lucky enough to win it, but it's honestly worth any money you may have to pay for it.

To say I was shell-shocked that I won a GoodReads giveaway would be a gross understatement. I was beginning to think it was impossible to accomplish,To say I was shell-shocked that I won a GoodReads giveaway would be a gross understatement. I was beginning to think it was impossible to accomplish, as I had entered countless of them to no avail. Lo and behold, an e-mail popped up in my inbox a few weeks ago deconstructing any suspicions I had accumulated. I had won a First Reads giveaway.

I walked on clouds for the rest of that day.

Flash forward, about two weeks later, and a package waits for me calmly at home. My fingers were tearing at the material surrounding the book with a certain ferocity before I could even guess at what waited inside: Grasping at Eternity-- in all of its gorgeous cover glory, complete with a sealed envelop tucked within a random page.

I'll take this moment to give a huge shout out to Karen Amanda Hooper, (and her fabulously named dog, Rooney), for taking the time to write me a lovely message bound in an equally lovely envelope. I'm not sure she'll ever see this review, but I wanted to give a shout out anyway to show my appreciation.

Anyway, on to the point at hand. Grasping at Eternity.

This book definitely surprised me. Oddly enough, it surprised me by not surprising me. I got exactly what I wanted from it. All too often lately I've had totally wrong notions about what a book may be about. It was a nice breath of fresh air to read something that delivered in every area that I had hoped it would.

Reading the synopsis, one may immediately notice that the central topic of the novel is reincarnation. The whole idea caught my attention from the beginning; there aren't many young adult novels about life cycles around these days. I hoped going in that it would set a high bar for a concept I had yet to dabble in, and set a high bar it did. Due to the shifting perspectives of Maryah, pronounced like Mariah, and Nathan, the reader is allowed insight into the idea of reincarnation almost immediately. At times it was mildly frustrating knowing so much more than Maryah, but at the same time it's easy to understand why she's kept in the dark for so long. If someone were to tell me I've lived 20 other lives, I'd run for the hills at full speed.

On the topic of changing perspectives, I will say that Nathan's point of view was kind of... iffy-- but only at first. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but his voice read more like a female than a male. I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't seeing things through Maryah's eyes. After getting comfortable with the fact that he was lifetimes old, though, I started to understand why he sounded so different: he didn't sound like a typical teenage boy because he wasn't a typical teenage boy. Far from it, actually. I won't spoil anything more, but I will say that his intense love for Maryah also contributed to the way his voice was conveyed, and after a while it began to feel more natural.

This sort of leads into my next point: the way Hooper delivers the romance. While I admit that I wish I was given a little more time to get to know Nathan, I understand the reasons he kept his distance. I also realized that, in many ways, seeing less of a romantic interest is better than having them shoved down your throat during every scene. I think the main reason it bothered me at all was because by the time they "got together," it felt kind of rushed and weird. I understand that they were by no means strangers to each other, but as a bystander that witnessed only the events of the novel, it felt as though all of a sudden these strangers had fallen madly in love. It isn't insta-love, but we're never given a build up, either.

Lack of romantic build up aside, it's crucial that I point out how lovely Hooper's writing is. Her descriptions creep off the page, slowly inching their way up into your mind. Everything is vivid and everything is beautiful. That's the simplest and best way I can describe it. You'll just have to read it for yourself to understand, but it's pretty incredible.

I'm just about done with my ranting session now.

I really hope that this gains more notice within the Young Adult/New Adult crowd. I was shocked to find that this fantastic book had only 209 ratings on GoodReads. What does that mean? It means go buy Grasping for Eternity. It's a wonderfully crafted novel that embraces a new phenomenon that is sure to keep your pages turning. ...more

I really should've known, the second I picked up this book, that it would become a "problem book." Problem Books lead toOh man. Oh-man-oh-man-oh-man.

I really should've known, the second I picked up this book, that it would become a "problem book." Problem Books lead to me struggling with A.) Writing a review for it, doing it as much justice as possible, and B.) Suffering through months of waiting for my next Lux Fix.

And here I return to a constant stream of man-oh-mans. Ms. Armentrout has done it again, folks. Okay, here we go.

So if you are a GoodReads fiend such as myself, you know that the reviews for Onyx are through the freaking roof. I thought the 4.44 rating that Obsidian boasted was impressive, but nearly 4.7? That's virtually unheard of. My immediate response to seeing such a high praise rate was rather depressing in retrospect; I couldn't help but think that only die-hard Obsidian fans had gotten hold of the book, so of course they'd love the living hell out of it. I could practically feel the raging hormones bouncing off the reviews for Onyx, all spazzed out after a heavy dose of Alien-crack.

Well, if you read my review for Obsidian, then you know that I was also one such provider of a hormone-dominated review. I return to you all today, still blushing slightly and yet again fanning myself, to give you another round of flustered ranting. Let's do this.

Onyx. I'm going to try to sum it up in only a few words, but it wouldn't and couldn't possibly convey just how good the book is: A bigger, better, longer, sexier and more emotion-inducing Obsidian. When I saw other reviewers say very similar things, my immediate thought was along the lines of, "No way, not possible--Nope." As per usual, I was wrong. Very wrong, very stupid and very in for a very big surprise.

So, the beginning is nothing too special. Armentrout does a great job at bringing her returning fans back into the world of Katy and Daemon, knitting pieces of the last book's plot effortlessly into the thoughts and dialogue to bring you up to date. I never felt like I was reading too much exposition, which is great. The reader is also immediately treated to extreme Daemon-cuteness-- he puts a cookie halfway into his mouth and I just about kissed my book.

As the story goes on, I will say there were quite a few moments during which I felt the need to slam my face into a hard surface. Of course, usually these things were the good kind of face-palm moments, the kind you get when you know something bad is going to happen but it doesn't make watching it happen any less funny/sad/satisfactory. However, if you are someone that gets easily fed up with knowing too much more than the main character, then perhaps you will find these moments kind of annoying. I'll just say this: Katy is kind of clueless about certain thing frequently throughout Onyx, but understandably so. I just had to keep reminding myself that I'd probably think in a similar way to keep any irritation down.

Obviously, as I've stated before and as I'm sure you would expect if you've read Obsidian, JLA goes full force with all types of tension in Onyx. Emotional tension, fear-induced tension, angry-tension, and the mother of all tension-- sexual tension. Most times, Armentrout manages to infuse scenes with more than one of these types of intensity and the end result is always fantastic: you feel it. You feel the tension inside you, taking custody of your nerves and playing them like a string instrument. It's incredible, and so rare, this ability that Armentrout has developed throughout her works.

One thing I wish I had gotten of out of Onyx was a bit more inclusion of secondary characters. I loved Blake, even despite the fact that I flipped back and forth between hating him and liking him. Dee, Adam, Lesa and Carissa, though, were kind of tossed to the side. Again, I totally understand how and why these characters were pushed to the back burner, but I still wished I had seen more of them. I guess I missed them in a way. Just something to consider.

I could go on and on, (again), about this book, but if I forced to depart with one last high praise, I'd simply say this: The humor was spot on. I generally refrain from using silly text-language like lol, but quite honestly that's the best way to describe what I must have looked like reading Onyx. Cooped up on my bed, earplugs muffling out any sound-- and laughing out loud. And trust me, I'm sure it was loud. If you thought Obsidian was hilarious be prepared for some wild guffaws, because the dialogue is marvelously funny.

If you haven't yet read Obsidian, or any of Jennifer Armentrout's other fantastic novels, open up another tab right now and order them. Check that little priority shipping box and endure the wait--it's well worth it. If you have read Obsidian, order Onyx. Do it now.

So, the plot of Sweet Evil is pretty generic when you strip away the details: good girl meets bad boy, is(First seen at brownbooksarah.blogspot.com)

So, the plot of Sweet Evil is pretty generic when you strip away the details: good girl meets bad boy, is instantly attracted to bad boy and falls for bad boy despite the fact that she should be scared of him. This is, in essence, the entire premise of the book. Throw in a sexually tense road trip, a best guy friend and a back story about angels and demons and BAM: you've officially recreated Sweet Evil. I know that may come off as a bit critical, but I feel that this is one of the major reasons I couldn't bring myself to enjoy the book; everything felt extremely superficial.

I'm going to take a moment here to discuss my dissatisfaction with Anna, the main character. Anna is the type of girl that makes you reconsider your principles regarding tossing someone out of a window. Personally, I spent half the time wanting to reach into the book and slap her with a cold fish or something. The problems mainly come from how easily she's swayed by those around her. She knew she shouldn't be doing certain things, but yet there was little to hesitation on her part to think things through. Not to mention, any and every time something even minutely questionable was mentioned, she'd go into a metal dialogue about how she's a good girl that doesn't do bad things. Ever.

You know when you overdose on sweets and you start to feel nauseous? It's kind of like that.

Another problem I had was with the character Kopano. I've never been a fan of love triangles, but this one was especially odd to me. I won't spoil anything too major, but I definitely feel that this should be mentioned. What it comes down to, in simple terms, is this: the way Kopano is presented and the way Anna reacts to him is frustratingly bizarre. When and if you decide to read the book, you may understand what I'm saying. The whole situation begins to feel awkward when Kopano enters the picture.

Now, I'm pretty big on description. I like to be able to visualize as much as possible. Sweet Evil, in my opinion, did O.K in this department. Certain things were described pretty well, while others left me scrambling to put images together in my mind. If you prefer to have only the basics given to you, then you should be content with the level of world-building and imagery.

I really don't know what else to say about this book. It feels weird to be writing a mostly negative review for this, simply because I expected to really enjoy it. I may come back to edit this if I think of any strong points that should be mentioned, but as of right now, I'm drawing a blank.

I will say that, with a 4.22 rating on GoodReads, the majority of people really liked Sweet Evil. So, if you're interested in the premise, definitely pick it up. At the very least, it's definitely something to pass the time with. Also, Kaidan isn't such a bad love interest-- British accents have the capacity to make most anything worth while. ...more

Me oh my, this is quite the roller-coaster ride. The cool thing about it is, though, that despite it being a roller-coaster, it's definitely a smooth ride. This kind of leads into my first point: pace. Stiefvater sets an excellent pace that forces you to patiently wait for new information, yet never makes you writhe in anticipation for too long in between major plot points. I will say, though, that the beginning was a bit slow; it wasn't until around chapter 4 or 5 that I started to really appreciate the flow of the story.

So, if you've had the chance to read even just the first chapter of The Raven Boys, you know that the writing is definitely unique. Right off the bat, I noticed how much it resembled Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Not only do the two of them use third person, but the writing itself is a bit more intelligent. The words aren't difficult, but they are definitely used as literary weapons. By that I mean that, at least to me, there's a lot of appeal in a book that sounds smart without bogging you down with unnecessarily obscure words. If you liked the writing in Graceling, you're sure to love it.

World building. Steifvater has a superb talent to describe exactly what's happening. My one complaint though, (and this is not at all a big thing, just a preference), is that I wish there had been more description for places in between the main settings. Personally, I like to be able picture as much as possible, but some of you may disagree. Either way, rest assured that the most essential settings are laid out in great details that come to life in your imagination. The devil's definitely in these outstanding details.

The characters. I've thought about this for quite some time, but I've decided with certainty that the characters are my favorite aspect of this book. Stiefvater allows you to 'know' them the minute they're introduced. Their mannerisms, their manner of speaking, their physical description-- she combines these three elements so flawlessly that they become real. I honestly believe that you could meet any and all of the characters in real life, they're so impeccably believable. They have real flaws and real motivations-- two things that many young adult characters lack. Sure, most characters want something, but it takes a great writer to show exactly what they want and how wanting such things affects what they say and do.

Whoosh, that was a rant. Moving on.

The book follows four of the main characters: Blue, Gansey, Adam and Barrington Whelk. My favorite character, I'd have to say, is Gansey. Normally I prefer to read through the perspective of a female, but something about Gansey is just so darn fascinating. Obviously, because the novel is written in third person, you're not placed directly in his head. I think this fact only contributes to the enigma that is Gansey; you're given just enough to be hooked, but not enough to give everything away.

The last thing I want to cover is romance. If you read the synopsis and assumed the entire book would be about how a girl can't kiss her boyfriend, you are, thankfully, incorrect. In fact, there's very little romance in this first book and the romance isn't even the one hinted to in the synopsis. This, my friends, is a nice dose of reality. Blue, arguably the 'main' character of the four mentioned above, keeps a level head throughout the entire book. She doesn't fall head over heels with any of the boys, but rather reacts just the way a normal person would: with interest. Interest, to me, is stronger than insta-love. It's this slow, gradual build up that makes the eventual romance that much more "YES" inducing.

Okay, I'm just about done.

If you're at all interested in a maturely written story full of mystery and spectacular characters, I strongly encourage you to go buy The Raven Boys. It's a refreshing new young adult novel that takes you on a completely original adventure. I will most definitely be purchasing the rest of series as they release....more

Jumping into Obsidian, I had already finished both Half-Blood and Pure, and thus thought I had an idea of what to expect of JLA's writing. Turns out Jumping into Obsidian, I had already finished both Half-Blood and Pure, and thus thought I had an idea of what to expect of JLA's writing. Turns out I was right, and in the very best ways possible.

I knew going in that the ratings for Obsidian were much higher than those of The Covenant series novels, so I had very high hopes. Upon reading, "Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy," however, I immediately started to picture a million ways this novel could go wrong. If the love interest is to be arrogant or cocky, then the dialogue has to be done right. If it isn't, your stuck hating a character you're meant to fall in love with.

Boy did I fall in love with this Alien. Holy moly, rigatoli. I'm fanning myself as I write this.

Daemon Black. How he does what he does and gets away with it smiling, I will never know. What I do know, though, is that this little ball of light is one of the best things about Obsidian. Never in my life did I think I would make a statement like that about a cocky character, but it's the truth. There's something very smooth about everything he says and does, something that makes you physically shiver. I give props to the main character, Katy, for resisting him so adamantly. I'm not entirely sure I would've been able to do so myself.

This brings me to a point I have yet to make in a JLA novel review, but it seems most fitting to bring it up here. Sexual tension. Armentrout manages to keep everything at the perfect level of intensity without forcing the main characters to make out every two seconds. If you've done any research on Obsidian, then you've most likely heard of the "Laptop Scene." If I was fanning myself before, I'm going to need a wind turbine to cool me off now, because the Laptop Scene was out-of-this-world (shameless Alien reference). That's all I'll say about that, you really just have to read it to understand what I'm saying.

I'll stop ranting about Daemon and the feelings he induces now and focus on some of the other characters. For one, I thought Katy was a solid female lead. She's a total book nerd without being an actual nerd and knows how to stand up for herself when necessary. I found it really easy to read in her voice because her thoughts were so similar to my own. Some of her reactions were priceless, and I often found myself laughing out loud at the both of us. I also really liked Dee, Daemon's sister. She's friendly and innocent, but at the same time you know that she harbors a great amount of power. The girls that Katy befriends at school, Lesa and Carissa, also proved to be nice additions to the story. They didn't have any real importance, but their believable personalities made the novel that much more real.

I'll also say that there was never a moment throughout Obsidian that I found myself bored. Even if nothing major is going on, you're still hooked onto whatever is happening. Ms. Armentrout does a fantastic job with pace and transitions, going from one plot element to another with ease. Your family may notice you haven't left your room all day and question if you've died. They needn't worry; its just that you can't put Obsidian down.

I'll end this review by saying this: if you have the opportunity to read Obsidian, do so. Seriously. The chances of you experiencing any form of disappointment are slim, and more than likely you'll close the book with a contented sigh.

Onyx will arrive at my doorstep sometime tomorrow. Is counting the minutes a bit obsessive?

Truth be told, I had to struggle to push through the majority of The Mayfair Moon. At some point about a week ago, it popped up as a recommended nove Truth be told, I had to struggle to push through the majority of The Mayfair Moon. At some point about a week ago, it popped up as a recommended novel on GoodReads. I read the synopsis, noted its decent 4.03 rating and set out to see if I could get my hands on a copy. Low and behold, I find it for FREE on Amazon Kindle. I thought, "What the hell, a free novel? With a rating above 4.0? Count me in!" Such is how my journey with the novel began.

Flash forward a few days and find a frustrated reader, (myself), trying to find a way to review The Mayfair Moon as honestly as possible. I've been staring at this screen for quite some time now, so that should help you gauge what a dilemma this is.

I'll start by saying that a 2.5 rating isn't absolutely horrible; on GoodReads, a 2 star review signifies, "It was okay." That was what I based my rating on, not on a oh-god-I'll-never-give-a-book-only-1-star-that's-blasphemy-so-I-ll-give-it-2-and-call-it-a-day basis. I even went a tad further to give it an extra .5 brownies, and I truly believe that the novel deserves it. Anything higher, though, may be pushing it.

Enough talk about the intricacies of book ratings.

There were many things that irked me almost immediately about the book. For one, the thought processes and language of the main character, Adria, seemed a bit off. Something about the way she viewed and thought about things felt unnatural and inhibited my ability to immerse myself into her brain. The closest thing I can compare it to would be to infuse someone with an A+ blood type with B+ blood; the body rejects it and things go wrong.

Another thing that made it difficult to relate with Adria was her reactions to many things. She acknowledges time and time again that she shouldn't be doing or thinking certain things, but goes and does/thinks them anyway. I won't spoil anything, but this became especially annoying when the love interest, Isaac, enters the picture. My rate of face-palming only increased as I read on.

This leads to another thing I didn't enjoy, (At all): The Insta-Love. Insta-Love is kind of like Insta-Cheese; most times, you cringe at the mere thought of it. If it's served with something that makes the artificial dairy product worth it, however, you'll stomach it bravely and hope for the best. Nothing that was served with this can of Insta-Love was worth it. Whoosh, that sounds harsh. Moving on.

There were a few things I did like about the book, things that saved it from a solid 2 star rating. Some of the characters, ( Nathan, Harry, Zia), were quite fun and I enjoyed them a lot. The description and imagery that Redmerski delivers is nice, as well, giving plenty of information to help your brain picture what's happening.

All in all, I'm really glad I didn't have to purchase this book. Many people seem to have really enjoyed it, so maybe I just couldn't get myself into it for my own reasons. As of right now ( August 12th 2012), The Mayfair Moon is still completely free for kindle on Amazon.com, so if you're in the mood for some Insta-Love with a side of werewolves, have at it. More than likely you'll enjoy it more than I did....more

It's taken me a little while to get around to this review. I feel as though there is a lot to be said, but(Seen first at brownbooksarah.blogspot.com)

It's taken me a little while to get around to this review. I feel as though there is a lot to be said, but so little that can actually convey what an improvement JLA makes with this sequel.

So, I'll be completely honest here and say that I wasn't head-over-heels in love with Half-Blood. Granted, I wasn't expecting to be, and I actually enjoyed it more than I anticipated-- but even still. There was something about Half-Blood that kept it just a sliver away from blowing me away. I'm still not entirely sure what it is, or even if it's just one thing. Don't get me wrong, I really did enjoy it. I practically devoured it, even. Maybe I just needed to get into the characters more than I was allowing myself to, or maybe it all can be blamed on my post-Insurgent-novel-hangover.

Whatever the case, Pure did what Half-Blood came close to, but failed to do: Blow me away.

Everything is bigger and better in this installment. More action, new setting, character development, loss, wit; this novel improved on so many things, I can't think of all them to list. The characters blossom, becoming people you wish you knew in real the world. Alex is still the stubborn, mahem-inducing teenager she was before, but you get to witness her grow as a person. She deals with a lot of heavy stuff, (and some, uh, other stuff as well), and the impact is clearly displayed through her inner dialogue and actions. I loved that.

Other characters grew on me, too. I'd always loved Caleb, even while reading Half-Blood, and I loved him even more in this book. Surprisingly, I found myself caring for Marcus and Lucien, too. I thought for sure, by the end of the series, I would hate them. I also quite loved the group of students that stay and watch Alex and Seth train; they had little "screen" time, but they felt so incredibly real it didn't matter.

Now, I'll briefly discuss the love-triangle I hinted to in my review of Half-Blood. After reading Half-Blood, I become thoroughly worried that the series would turn into some drama-infested love/angst soap opera that just so happened to involve daimons. I am shocked to sit here and write, for the first and possibly last time, that I didn't mind the love-triangle that has formed throughout this series. In fact, at certain times I even loved it, watching Alex bounce back and forth. I think the main reason behind this is that Seth really grew on me this time around. His cockiness didn't simmer down, but it felt more playful this time. He also shows his care for Alex a lot more often, which was really nice to see. And Aiden. Well, I've always loved Aiden. Something about the way I picture him just makes my skin feel nice and fuzzy. I guess what I'm getting at is that the love-triangle is bearable, if not enjoyable, because I adore both of the guys. If Alex were to end up with either of them, I'd be content.

Wop, that was a bit of a rant. Anyway.

If you've read any of JLA's novels, then you pretty much know her writing style. Personally, I think she's one of the best at writing teen voices. It's almost as though I'm actually in Alex's brain at certain times, thinking just as she would, reacting just as she does. Pure doesn't disappoint in this department, either. Again, though I didn't think JLA could get any better at writing a teen voice, (meaning, I already thought she was outstanding), she does. Incredible.

To say that I really liked Pure would be a gross understatement. After reading it, I became a full-on Armentrout fan. This novel really knocked my shoes off, and I will be anxiously waiting to read Deity....more

Hema-Wha? You heard correctly-- Hematoi. That's just one of many ambiguously pronounced words found throughout Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout. LHema-Wha? You heard correctly-- Hematoi. That's just one of many ambiguously pronounced words found throughout Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Luckily, each copy comes equipped with a mini-pronunciation kit of some of the more challenging terms; you never have to worry about accidentally calling them the Hee-Ma-Toi.

Now, before reading Half-blood, I would wince any time I decided to skim its reviews. I read review after review about the countless similarities that the novel shares with the Vampire Academy series. I've yet to read any VA novels, but perhaps if I had I would not have enjoyed Half-Blood as much as I did. That said, I think it's unfair to completely debase a series just because it-sorta-kinda resembles another. The world Armentrout creates does not involve Vampires and does not feature any characters used in the VA series. Sure, parallels may be drawn between the two, but it's the readers job to immerse themselves in any book he or she sets out to read. If you know you won't appreciate the similarities, don't read it unless you're willing to give it a chance of its own.

Whoosh. Sorry, had to get that out of the way. Continuing on--

There were many things I really liked about Half-blood. For one, Alex, the protagonist, manages to pull off both strong and relatable-- something many novels fail to do. Usually it's one or the other, but Alex displays both characteristics. The world building is also quite enjoyable; any time I crack open the book I'm able to picture the beautiful island setting clearly. Not to mention the whole idea behind the Apollyon, (read A-POL-ee-on). I won't spoil anything, but the concept instantly reeled me in. This aspect, among others, gives the book its page-turner quality. It's very easy to watch hours fly while reading this book.

As for things I'm not looking forward to in future installments, I sense an inevitable love triangle in the works. Again, I shall spoil nothing, but I think it's fair to warn anyone looking into this series that I feel a strong, triangle-y vibe coming my way. As someone who tries to avoid novels with unnecessary romantic complexity, this is something I wish I had known before reading. I'm not certain this will be the case, but it sure seems like it from where I stand now in the series. The great features of the novel, however, help to make up for this frustrating element.

At the end of the day, is Half-Blood anything special? No. Is it thoroughly enjoyable? Yes. Such is why I give it a 3.75-4.0 rating. If you're looking for a great, immersive and creative series to read, Half-Blood is certainly something I recommend. I already own the first of another series by Armentrout, Obsidian, and I intend to read it as soon as I finish Pure.

I've waited a couple of days now, after reading the book, to let everything sink in. Considering how long it took me to write this review, I canOkay.

I've waited a couple of days now, after reading the book, to let everything sink in. Considering how long it took me to write this review, I can tell you that this book left me feeling pretty conflicted.

Before I begin, I'd like to clarify: If I could give this book half stars, I would've DEFINITELY given it a 3.5 star review. Why did I round down? Well, I figured that if I even had to consider rounding it down, it meant I should. I just thought I should clear that up.

To the point-- I really, really wanted to love this book. I wanted to put it down, as it seemed so many others had done, lurching for my computer to order the next in the series. You may have gathered by this point that that did not happen. In fact, at times I found it difficult to read it for extended periods of time.

That said, I can't place all of the fault on the book itself. It's wonderfully written, and I loved how effortlessly Cashore used a more traditional manor of speaking. Further, her words wove beautiful images inside my head and I was transported almost immediately to Katsa's enchanting world.

The Characters! Oh, the characters! I loved a good portion of them, namely Prince Po and Raffin, but I felt like I was only given a glimpse of who they were. I adored what I was shown, but to the same length, I felt robbed. After finishing the book it seemed as though someone had dangled an amazing character in front of my face, only to rip it away. At the end of the book, I never got that feeling of loss; the feeling you get when you realize how attached you'd become to the characters, almost as though you knew them personally.

Another thing I struggled with while reading Graceling was connecting to the heroine, Katsa. She had all the potential in the world to be an amazing female lead. She's strong, dignified and independent, yet caring and selfless with an inner sweet side. When I read the synopsis, I thought for sure that she would be one of my favorite characters. Unfortunately, though she did possess all of the aforementioned qualities, I never felt I could relate to her. This is one of the central reasons that I chose to give this novel 3 stars.

I never expected to give this book anything below a 4, but alas, here I am doing just that. 3.5 stars is NOT a terrible rating, and I did really enjoy the book. I'm not sure yet if I'll pick up the other two in the series, but I definitely don't regret reading Graceling.

I'm definitely in the minority giving it only 3 stars, so for that, I definitely recommend reading it. Statistically speaking, it's likely that your experience with it will be vastly different from mine.

First, I'd like to say that prior to reading Creatura, I knew little to nothing about the book. The GoodReads description, as well as the back-cover oFirst, I'd like to say that prior to reading Creatura, I knew little to nothing about the book. The GoodReads description, as well as the back-cover of the novel itself, offered little insight into about what the novel was truly about. Upon reading, "perturbing dreams" and, "horrific growling beast," I assumed that the basic premise involved beasts in a dreams world that so-called Isis Martin somehow gets entangled with. I wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that concept; it felt like such a hit or miss.

I was completely and entirely mistaken.

I've just put the book down after having read it none stop, all day long. Looking back, there was not a moment that I didn't want to know what would happen next-- and that includes the moments in between major events. I'd been dragging my feet all week trying to get myself to sit down and read it, worried that I wouldn't be able fully immerse myself in the story. I can say with strong certainty, however, that I was hooked after the first chapter alone.

One of the wonderful assets of the novel, (among many, mind you), was the character development. Each and every one of the characters is distinct in their own way, including those that were... well, not human. I'd also like to note that I fell in love with David almost instantly --who wouldn't?-- despite my aversion to sappy-corny-old-timey-romantic gestures and language. I found that I was smiling despite myself many times, happy to hold witness to such passion.

Characters aside, the writing itself was marvelous to read. You never once have to worry about not being able to envision any character or event; they are all described so perfectly and eloquently that all that reader must do is gaze at the words. The rest is done masterfully by Ms. Cab.

I suppose this is less of a full review and more half review, half a thank you to GoodReads. Had I not stumbled upon Creatura and read the countless raving reviews, I may have never made the impulsive decision to buy the book. I recommend it to anyone and everyone that enjoys mythology, romance, young adult novels, gripping language or even just a nice read.

I've literally spent the last 10 hours reading this book, and I wouldn't dream of asking for that time back. Perhaps this review may do for you what others did for me-- that is, persuade you, wholeheartedly, to pick up Creatura. :)...more

Okay. I'll preface with the confession that it is surely wiser to wait to write a review; allow the post-outstanding-book glow to subside a bit.

I can'Okay. I'll preface with the confession that it is surely wiser to wait to write a review; allow the post-outstanding-book glow to subside a bit.

I can't really do that considering I loved this book so much, I need this glow to help me write the solid, raving review it deserves.

Divergent. Where to begin?

Let's start with the leading lady herself, Ms. Beatrice/Tris. I am delighted to say that I have enjoyed being inside her head for the ride that is Divergent. Many times, good books become "okay" books simply because the main character is difficult to understand, relate with, or in some cases, like at all. Beatrice is a breath of fresh air amidst the stuffiness of a room filled with two-dimensional, bratty, and confusing female leads. It was wonderful to listen to her have real thoughts, slowly transforming alongside the events that weave the plot of the story. You think she's strong, until she proves that she's got even more kick to her than you ever thought.

Next, considering it was one of my favorite aspects of the installment, I'll talk about the romance. Let me start with one word: moderation. Roth does an excellent job at dispersing romantic moments at the perfect times throughout the book. You never felt smothered by sappy affection and yet you never went too long without the all too familiar sigh departing from your smiling mouth. Another thing, without giving too much away, all of the romance seemed natural and unforced-- something that creeps its way into a lot of stories that appear to have romance only because the author feels it's necessary to attract an audience. Again, a nice breath of fresh air.

As for the other relationships in the story, I give yet another round of applause to Ms. Roth. I found it insanely easy to picture the characters and laugh when they laughed, cry when they cried. You grow attached to them and they don't let you go. Everyone is a person you may find in the real world, which only adds to the realness that envelops the faction-ed world.

Concept. Truthfully, I was worried. I knew quite well that many authors had attempted to aim for Dystopian/Action/Romance stories and fell flat before leaving the starting line. This was not the case with Divergent. Though many may find it difficult to look past the unlikely possibility that a society could end up the way it is in Divergent, I found it easy to just go with the flow. So long as you allow the words to take your mind, they will. I'll leave the rest of the plot as ambiguous as it was to me before reading it.

I could rant so much for so much longer about this book, but I feel I've touched base with most of the things that people like myself look for in a book review. If I haven't made it clear yet in my other points, though, just how perfectly descriptive this book is, I'll stress it again now. Images will appear in your head as though they are of your own imagination, playing out before you. At least, that's how it felt to me.

I don't think I even need to say how strongly I recommend this book. The second book, Insurgent, is due to arrive at my house sometime tomorrow.